Moderated by Alexandra Lebret, Managing Director of European Producers Club, the panel this afternoon consisted of industry heavyweights including Jon S. Baird, BAFTA winning Director and Producer; Lene Børglum, Producer and Co-founder of Space Rocket Nation; Alex Lalonde, Producer and COO of Amaze Films; Christophe Leparc, Managing Director of Quinzaine des Cinéastes (Directors’ Fortnight) at Festival de Cannes, Director of Cinemed, Mediterranean Film Festival of Montpellier; Derya Tarım, Producer, Founder of The Lacivert Film Company and Pierre Ellul, Producer, Falkun Films and EAVE national coordinator.
The panel embarked upon a lively discussion around co-productions, breaking down for audience members how co-productions are often structured all over the world, and the different ways the panellists have worked on these types of projects successfully across Europe and the further afield.
They touched upon multiple territories Malta, Denmark and Canada, and noted how smaller countries cannot be compared to larger ones since in order to produce a film that is not low budget, individual producers have to seek financing outside of their local territory and sometimes even Europe as a whole – producing with other countries out of necessity.
The panel also noted that the role of film festivals has changed due to the impact co-productions have had on the wider industry. Originally, film festivals provided an opportunity to present, buy and sell films – however now there is a large focus on gathering to meet other professionals, authors and producers, using these events as platform for deal making. They debated the role of a service provider vs a producer credit and how in many countries with a burgeoning film industry, the biggest challenge is often being seen by government as a feeder to tourism – rather than as creating a growing film ecosystem.
They discussed the intricacies of co-productions and the importance of looking outside of the tax credit system – taking into account the cultural element of a project and what co-producing would mean for it. They noted how in Malta – one of the key strengths is the contribution of highly experienced crews. In particular, the team working with the water tanks have unrivaled talent and expertise in this space, which is hugely sought after for productions with a large water element.
They also noted that if you have a share in something creatively you are likely to give more to a project, and how as a creative if you want your movie to be made you have to be prepared to do everything you can in order to get it financed. Panellists also acknowledged that the relationships that you make as a creator and producer are crucial in unlocking opportunities and getting projects over the line.
One of the key points the panel discussed was the need to agree on the value that both parties are bringing to the table in a co-production – and how having more pitching platforms, development funding, and treaty agreements across Europe between multiple countries would help to continue to develop successful co-productions in Europe and beyond.